The Wounded Warriors of the Warfighter Sports team are dug in at 14,200′, waiting for the weather up high to improve. Wind and snow have begun to batter the upper slopes of Denali as a series of weak weather flows pass over the mountain. Fairly heavy snow and wind are forecasted through the first half of the week.
One of the many challenges before our team is that they are just unable to move as quickly up and down the mountain as climbers with two fully operational legs. These guys are tough as nails and have hearts the size of Mount Everest when it comes to their desire to climb this peak, but they need a very good window of weather in order to make their next series of moves up the mountain.
So… they’ll sit tight and keep an eye on the weather, waiting patiently for an opportunity to move up to their next camp. Sitting tight and waiting, sometimes for days, can be one of the hardest elements of expedition climbing. By all accounts, the team is having a great time, and are enjoying themselves, so they are well suited and prepared to wait for their window.
Here’s Steve Martin:
With this team, we have the ability to get some photos from the mountain, while the team is still on route. Below are some shots from below their current 14,200′ elevation.
Army Cpl Steve Martin (Ret.) about to enjoy a snack in the cook tent on Denali
Some of the team climbing through 12,000', in an area known as "Squirrel Hill"
Marine Captain David Borden (Active Duty) sorting out the solar array at camp.
